CHARLOTTE — Health issues and the desire to spend more time with his family caused Urban Meyer to take a temporary leave of absence from Florida once, after the Gators' 2009 season. Twelve months later, citing the same concerns, Meyer announced his decision to permanently leave the program he led to two national championships — but not before calling and speaking with Tim Tebow.

Three years later, with his NFL career in flux and a television opportunity in play, Tebow called Meyer.

The two spoke often as Tebow waffled between the most difficult decision of his career: Whether to leave football behind — as a quarterback, at least — and join ESPN, which was offering the former Heisman Trophy winner the chance to join its fledgling SEC Network.

Meyer, who spent his one season out of coaching as an ESPN analyst, preached the positives of television. You get to work with people you like, he told Tebow. You get to be around your family. You can do the things that are important to you. More than anything, you can stay with the game — not as a player, not as a coach, but close enough.

"Obviously we both love the game," Tebow told USA TODAY Sports from SEC Network headquarters in Charlotte. "You always want to be a part of it."

His new role in football keeps perhaps the most discussed, scrutinized and nitpicked quarterback of his generation in front of the camera, but from a different perspective: Tebow will move into television as part of the SEC Network, which debuts at 6 p.m. Eastern on Aug. 14. He will be available in more than 90 million homes, thanks to pre-launch agreements with some of the nation's largest cable providers.

Tebow will serve as one of the primary analysts on SEC Nation, a traveling pregame show similar to ESPN's popular College GameDay in every way but one: SEC Nation will air only from Southeastern Conference venues, beginning with a trip to Columbia, S.C., for South Carolina and Texas A&M on Aug. 28.

He is, by all accounts, the brightest star in ESPN's new SEC universe.

"I don't know what his ceiling is or if he even has a ceiling," SEC Network coordinating producer Brett Austin said of Tebow. "His depth of knowledge and his passion — kind of where he comes from — it's amazing. It really is. He's dialed in from day one.

He's no longer a quarterback, though dreams die hard. Tebow lasted until the final cut of training camp before being released by the New England Patriots last August, essentially ending an NFL career that began with the Denver Broncos — where he tasted his only professional success — continued with a failed one-year stint with the New York Jets and never got off the ground with the Patriots.

"He gave us, and me personally, everything he had. I'll forever be grateful for what he did as a Bronco," Denver head coach John Fox said. "I just know he did a great job for us when he was here."

Tebow still works out six days a week; he still throws four days a week, following the lessons of his quarterback guru, California-based Tom House. Asked if he's a better quarterback today than at this point a year ago, Tebow nods, confident, and says, "By far."

For now, and perhaps for the foreseeable future, Tebow will have to balance his desire to continue his NFL career with the opportunity granted by a high-profile transition into television.

"I don't know what the future holds," Tebow said. "You never know. I know that I'm super happy doing this. I know I love training, I love playing ball, but this is a great opportunity."

But television isn't a substitute for football, he said, but a "blessing."

"It's important to me to as an analyst to really study and prepare, just like a player, and really know what I'm talking about," Tebow said. "The viewers deserve that, ESPN deserves that, the SEC Network deserves that, and I feel like that's just how I carry myself. I want to do a good job. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. I'm a believer in that. I want to be the best at this that I can be."

Contributing: Lindsay H. Jones

GALLERY: TIM TEBOW'S CAREER IN PICTURES

Tim Tebow is once again looking for work in the NFL. After the New England Patriots signed the quarterback for the preseason, Tebow was released in the final round of roster cuts. Here's a look back at some of the signature moments of his career. (Photo: Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports)

Tim Tebow's career looked to be in flux when he was released by the New York Jets on April 29th. Many wondered if the controversial QB was done in the NFL, but Tebow signed with the New England Patriots in the 2013 offseason. (Photo: Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)

Lack of playing time in New York hasn't diminished Tim Tebow's commerical viability. Here he is on a film set at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Nov. 13, 2012. Tebow is the new spokesman for DVR company TiVo and was filming a new set of commercials. (Photo: Todd Plitt, USA TODAY Sports)

Tim Tebow nearly broke Twitter when he connected with Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime for a TD to lead the Broncos past the Steelers in the wild card round of the 2012 NFL playoffs. Tebowmania had reached its peak. From there, the rest of the season included the circus of Tebow leaving Denver for New York City, his sequestration on the Jets’ bench and, what seems obvious now, inevitably being jettisoned to find a new home base for the hysteria. (Photo: Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports Images)

Jets quarterback Tim Tebow with his dog Bronx before a Father's Day worship service at Qualcomm Stadium on June 17, 2012. Before he was traded from Denver to New York, the dog's name was Bronco. (Photo: Jake Roth, US Presswire)

Then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (18) greets then-Broncos QB Tim Tebow (15) at their Sept. 26, 2010 game in Denver. The following offseason, Manning would sign with the Broncos as a free agent, meaning Tebow's days in Denver were numbered. (Photo: Greg Trott, AP)

Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow celebrates after beating the Steelers 29-23 in overtime of an NFL wild card playoff game on Jan. 8, 2012, in Denver. Tebow's 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of the extra period clinched the victory. (Photo: Chris Schneider, AP)

Tim Tebow had plenty to be pumped up about in Denver in 2011. After taking over the starting quarterback job for the 1-4 Broncos, Tebow led Denver to an AFC West title. (Photo: Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow stands in front of his statue for the first time, outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, April 9, 2011, in Gainesville, Fla. (Photo: Laurie Hice Michaelson, AP)